


An Obvious Disconnect

by BunnyMask



Series: Mystic Haven: The Magic Tower [5]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Gen, Hair Washing, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mentioned Aqua (Kingdom Hearts), Mentioned Naminé (Kingdom Hearts), Mentioned Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Mentioned Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Mentioned Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts), Vanitas is a batfolk, Ventus and Vanitas are twelve, Ventus is a birdfolk, but like still not quite, venvan if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 08:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24966733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunnyMask/pseuds/BunnyMask
Summary: On a hot summer day, Ven and Vanitas have a much-needed chat.
Relationships: Vanitas & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Mystic Haven: The Magic Tower [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1522583
Comments: 10
Kudos: 40





	An Obvious Disconnect

With the months they'd been at the tower Ven had come to a conclusion: Living at Magic Tower was strange. No matter how much Ventus helped Terra out, he always ended up with large swaths of free time. During those times he sat on the hill by the front gate. Terra guarded the gate most of the day. When he wasn't guarding it, one of the residents took over.

It was summer now, according to the calendar and Namine’s hair. Namine’s hair changed with the seasons. She’d gone from a golden blonde to a strawberry blonde. But Ventus didn't only know that it was summer because of the calendar or even Namine’s hair, it was also because of the heat. It was getting so hot. There wasn't much shade on the hill by the gate so Ven summoned his wings to keep him cool. They worked as both an umbrella and a fan. He switched between the two, but was currently fanning himself.

On the hill, Ven read books he'd picked from the library. Some of them were about magic. He'd always been interested in learning magic and now he studied magic with Aqua. Usually after lunch, Aqua would pull him aside to study magic with her and Namine. Aqua told Ven he had an affinity for wind magic. Vanitas, she'd told him, excelled in shadow magic. Vanitas, for all the time he spent trailing after Aqua, rarely practiced magic with them. And when he did, he was always antagonizing Ven.

What was his deal anyway?

Ven shook his head and looked through his pile of books. Some were about magical beings and their anatomy. He wasn't trying to figure out what Sora was, not exactly. He just wanted to be able to help Sora with any problems that he might have. It seemed Sora was beginning to open up to Ven in return. He'd begun asking Ven to read to him quite often. That opened a whole new door: fiction.

It was amazing how many stories there were in the world. Back at the castle, their master had only let them read scientific studies and formulas. And that was only so they could copy the books for him by hand. So Ventus took pleasure in every story he read, not only because of the magic of seeing a million different lives in a million different worlds but also because it was something he'd never been able to do at the castle.

Though when he thought about it, the prince was an avid reader. Ven often saw him in the library surrounded by books. He'd always been curious about what he was up to. Now knowing the comforts of reading, Ven felt he understood. If anyone needed an escape to a different world it was the prince.

A shiver went down Ven's spine as a cold and slimy substance dripped down his head.

"Hey, Ventus," Vanitas stood above him holding a now empty cup.

"What did you just pour on me?" Ven touched it. It was gooey and stretched as he pulled his fingers away from it.

"Goop frog slime."

"Why?"

"Science."

Ven pushed down his irritation.

"Come on," Vanitas pulled him to his feet.

"Where?"

"To the next step."

Ventus let Vanitas lead him all the way back to the tower.

Outside the tower were tubs of water, bottles, combs, brushes, and assorted hair supplies. Vanitas sat down next to a tub. He gestured to the ground in front of him. Ventus stared.

"Sit down, Ventus."

Ven sat in front of him. Vanitas picked up a comb and started pulling it through Ven's hair. He added water to particularly troublesome areas. The combing motion started short and jagged, but went smooth and long as he continued. Vanitas held himself up with the hand on Ven's shoulder.

It was so... casual.

Back at the castle, they'd rarely ever touched on purpose. Sometimes they held hands. That was usually to lead each other around or avoid getting separated. It wasn't that touching was forbidden, but up until they'd moved to the tower touching was either functional or punishment. There were no hair ruffles or hugs given freely in the castle. Sometimes the Queen touched Ven's hair, but it felt different than Terra's ruffles. It had always made him uncomfortable.

"Aqua knew our master when she was younger."

"Oh?"

"He killed the last known dragon."

"Oh…"

"Do you think they're really extinct?"

It wasn't that Ven was uncomfortable. He just wasn't used to Vanitas touching him or talking to him so… so calmly. His tone was kind of… nice? This was weird! But... It wasn't bad, it was just different--- so different.

"I don't think they're extinct," Ven's voice was quiet. "Terra said they went into hiding."

"I want to see one." Vanitas tugged on Ven making him lay down across Vanitas's lap with his head above a tub. "I'm going to wash it out now."

"Okay."

Vanitas dunked Ven's hair into the water then began to lather shampoo into it. Ven tried to relax, but a thought kept raising until it poured out of his mouth.

"Remember that time you bit me?"

Vanitas pulled his hands away from Ven's head. Ven was surprised he didn't push Ven off his lap.

"Yea." Vanitas didn't look at him.

"I'm sorry."/"It was an accident."

Vanitas looked down at Ven, eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry? For getting bitten? Is your brain a rock?"

"Sorry for letting you take my punishment. I should have said something."

"Dear God, it is!" He laughed.

"Vanitas, I'm being serious!"

"No, you're being ridiculous." Vanitas rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't have stopped anything. We just would have both been punished."

Ventus frowned. "Then it's my fault for messing up that morning…"

Vanitas let out an exaggerated sigh. "You're so annoying!"

"I just feel bad."

"Oh, so you  _ feel _ ?"

"Of course I feel!"

"Could've fooled me with that blank slate you call a face."

"Why are you so--- You're so…" Ven closed his eyes and swallowed his anger. He opened his eyes.

"I'm so what, Ventus?" Vanitas dared him with his gaze.

"Nothing."

It was quiet and tense. There it was, back to normal. He was impossible to talk to. He got mad at everything.

"Did I hurt your feelings, Ventus?" 

Strange, it didn't sound like he was mocking him.

"What feelings? I'm just a blank slate, right?"

For a moment Vanitas's eyes went wide, but then they narrowed into a glare. His bat ears appeared. He was getting irritated.

"If I'm bothering you, I can just leave." Ven sat up.

Vanitas shoved him back down. "I'm not done!"

"What's your damage, Vanitas?!"

"You! You're so annoying!"

"I try not to be! I try not to complain or get mad, but you're still mad at me all the time!"

"That's the problem!"

"I--- What?"

"You never complain about anything! People can just push you around and you just take it!

"The Master keeps you up for several days in a row and you take it! The King slaps you across the dining hall and you take it. The Queen treats you like her pet and you take it.

"Your expression never changes and you never say anything to anyone. Why do you keep taking it? Why don't you get mad? Even when you're feeling weak and you can't handle it. You just---" Vanitas wiped his eyes. "You're so annoying. Do you know how hard it is to get a reaction from you? How am I supposed to know how you feel?"

Ven wasn't sure how to respond.

"I did it on purpose," Vanitas's voice was shaking.

"Did what?"

"Took your punishment because you looked tired…"

"Vanitas," Ventus sat up. "I'm sorry---"

"Ventus! Are you kidding me? I just---"

"Shut up, Vanitas!"

He did; probably out of shock because Ven had never said that to him before.

"I'm sorry for saying you didn't care…" Ven played with his hands. "And if you want to know how I feel… I think you're a jerk."

Vanitas blinked. "What else?"

"You're mean and you annoy me a lot."

"Keep it coming."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to interact with you. You're so wishy-washy! Like do you want me around or not?"

Vanitas shrugged. "Depends on my mood."

Ventus stared at him. 

"You're the worst!" Ven laughed.

Vanitas laughed too. Like, he actually laughed and it didn't sound mean. It was the first time he'd heard him laugh like that. When they finally stopped, Vanitas finished washing his hair. He put a towel on Ven's head and ruffled it dry.

"Wow, it worked!"

"What worked?" Ven looked at him.

Vanitas handed him a mirror. "Your hair looks all shiny and stuff."

Ven examined it. It was soft and fluffy too. "Because of the slime?"

"Yea."

"Do you have more?"

Vanitas nodded and pointed to a large container of slime. Ven walked up and put his hands in it. He scooped some up. He walked over to Vanitas and dropped the slime on his head. Vanitas looked too surprised to react. 

Ven crouched down.

"Your turn prickly head," he grinned.

Vanitas shoved him. "You're the most annoying person I know!"

"You're lucky you haven't met yourself then," Ven picked up a comb.

He sat down behind Vanitas and started on his hair. This time Ven led the conversation. He told Vanitas about all the things he'd learned from Terra while guarding the tower and making meals. Vanitas only made some rude remarks.

"Oh! He said he'll take me fishing at the river too!" Ven massaged the goop into Vanitas's hair. "There are so many dishes we can make with the fish we catch!"

"You like cooking a lot…"

"Yea." Ven thought as he rinsed out as much goop as possible. "Giving people food provides them the nutrition to live and can enhance their mood. Cooking gives me a more involved role."

"Nerd."

Ventus was not gentle when he pushed Vanitas's hair into the bin to rinse out the rest of the goop. He started to lather the shampoo in.

"Um, so," Vanitas tugged at his shirt. "When you kept bringing me food when I was in the tree…"

"You need to eat to survive," Ven tried not to look at him, suddenly feeling embarrassed. "I didn't make most of it, I just helped. Except for the bread."

"You made that?!" Vanitas sat up. 

Ven laid him back down, so he wouldn't get shampoo in his eyes. "Yea, it was too sweet anyway. I had Terra give it to the kids." Ven looked down at Vanitas. There were tears in his eyes. "Did I get shampoo in your eyes?"

"I didn't even get to try it…" Vanitas rubbed his eyes. Was he crying about the bread? Panic rose in Ven's stomach. He wasn't trying to hurt his feelings.

"I'll make more! As much as you want!"

Vanitas blinked at him. "Really?"

"Yes, I learned it for you anyway."

Vanitas stared at him.

"What?" Ven worked in the conditioner.

"Nothing," it was probably the sun, but it almost looked like Vanitas was blushing, "something Aqua said."

"Okay…? Sit up." Ven helped Vanitas lift then dried his hair with the wind. His hair looked so soft. Ven touched it. "It worked."

Vanitas grabbed the mirror. "Oh, it did." He yawned. "I'm tired."

Ven yawned, "Me too. It's probably the summer heat."

"Yea," Vanitas layed down.

Ven layed down next to him, summoning his wings to shield them from the sun. They dozed off like that. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thanks to everyone who's reading this series!
> 
> I've updated Mystic Haven three times in the last couple of weeks, so I wanted to mention what the intended schedule for this story is. Basically, there will be one story a month except on months where seasons change then there will be two. (Yup, this story is in real-time because I have zero self-control).
> 
> So all the summer chapters are written an ready to go. I hope you'll enjoy them.
> 
> Thanks again for reading!


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